Braking:

Try not to over apply service brakes when your bobtail or tractor trailer combination is not aligned straight. If your tractor and trailer are not following each other when applying brakes your tractor and trailer may jackknife.

Never Use Your Jake Brake:

When braking on slice or icy roads never use your jake brake. The jake brake will only apply braking to one set of wheels and cause the truck to slow down quicker than the trailer. It is much better to apply brakes evenly to all wheels on the tractor and trailer at the same time by using your service brakes.

Be Smooth:

On slick surfaces sudden movements or changes are your enemy. Accelerating too quickly, braking hard, moving around curves too quickly all will lead to loss of traction on damp, icy, or snowy roads. If you need to slow down quickly, pump your brakes gently to avoid locking up your tires. Also avoid sudden steering changes. Steer in a controlled and gentle manner.

Create a “Safe Zone”:

You cannot always know what the other person is going to do when driving in traffic. Especially in dicey conditions. You may be the safest and smoothest driver on the road but traveling in a pack will not give you the time or ability to adjust quickly enough to the bone headed stunts that other drivers might pull. Give yourself room between any vehicles traveling in front of or beside your own vehicle. Remembering the following facts will serve you well:

1. Stopping distance on “wet” roads is twice the normal stopping distance.
2. Stopping distance on “icy” roads is ten times the normal stopping distance.

Give yourself the time to stop so that you don’t show up in the news as the “truck driver” who demolished a car full of students on their way home for the weekend!

Watch Tire Spray:

Look at the spray coming off the tires of vehicles around you.

1. If the road looks wet and there is plenty of spray, the road is mostly wet.
2. If the road looks wet but there is less spray coming up, the road is possibly in the process of freezing. Use caution.
3. If the road looks wet and shiny and there is no spray, you might be driving on black ice. Extreme caution is the best in this situation.

Use Your Lights:

During most stormy Winter weather events and even many warm season weather events visibility is reduced. Make it easy for other drivers to see you by turning on your running lights and headlights. This gives those drivers time to adjust their own driving actions to yours and will keep pileups and accidents from happening. If you are traveling at a slower rate of speed than most of the people around you, don’t be afraid to turn on your hazard lights for even more warning to those other drivers.

Use Your Turn Signals:

When you need to change lanes make sure you give ample warning by using your turn signals. Failure to use your signals can cause other drivers to be startled and possibly lose control when they see your vehicle make a sudden and un-signaled move.

Never Stop on the Roadway:

If visibility is very poor, slow down but continue to keep moving. If you stop on a highway in poor visibility, you WILL be hit or cause others to lose control while trying to avoid hitting you. Keep moving until you can pull off at a safe location off the highway.

Equipment and Preparedness Tips:

Inspect Your Vehicle

Make sure to not stint on doing your truck inspections. Checking your tire pressure, engine oil and antifreeze levels, and general truck equipment conditions can be important to help keep you from being broken down on the side of the road and in the middle of bad weather. You should also have a mechanic inspect your vehicle to make sure it’s ready to withstand the harsh season of wear and tear.

Make sure your wipers, turn signals, lights, and other systems are all working properly.

Keep your Fuel Tanks Topped Off

Make sure to keep your fuel tanks full. Keeping your tanks full will keep your engine going if you get stranded because of road conditions. Full tanks will also give your drive tires extra weight when needed on slick roads.

Carry a bag of kitty litter

Keep a bag of kitty litter in your truck. When you park, warm tires can melt the snow under your parked tires and turn it into ice in a short time. Throwing kitty litter under your tires can give you that extra traction you need to get your truck moving again.

Carry a few tools

Keeping a hammer, pliers, and other assorted tools in your truck can help you perform minor repairs. Cold and freezing conditions can cause fittings to freeze and stick. The right tool at the right time can keep you on the road.

Personal Equipment

Keep the following equipment on hand for your safety.

1. Winter coat
2. Thermal underwear
3. Waterproof boots
4. Hat
5. Gloves
6. Extra Blankets
7. Candles
8. Waterproof matches
9. Jugs of water
10. Can opener
11. Cans of food
12. Extra portable charging units for cells phones. Keep fully charged.

Truck Equipment

Keep the following equipment on hand for your truck.

1. Propane heater and propane lighter
2. Fuel conditioner
3. Methyl hydrate (for fuel & air lines)
4. Extra fuel filter and wrenches
5. Windshield washer fluid
6. Tire chains

If followed, this list will go a long way in keeping you and the people around you safe in winter weather!